Connacht suffered a disappointing loss to the DHL Stormers on opening weekend of the new URC season.
Despite a 12-10 half-time lead, Connacht stuttered int he second half as the Stormers grabbed control of the second half to produce a 15-19 win in Dexcom Stadium.
The bigger South African side looked on the ball from the start as Connacht, with the wind, lacked their normal composure with ball in hand, and the visitors opened with a seventh minute penalty.
The home side stuttered with the ball in hand, and although Niall Murray warmed up the 12,000 crowd by disrupting the Sharks’ line-out, within two minutes the visitors had capitalised on a penalty kicked to touch - the ensuing line-out and maul reaping rewards as fullback Warwick Gallant bagged the first of their…. tries with fullback Jurie Matthee converting for a 10-point lead.
Despite possession, Connacht struggled to find any fluidity in their attack, not helped by a plethora of knock-ons, and there was no reward when a forward pass denied them a try.
On a night when Connacht did not get the rub of the green, good defence from Sean O’Brien denied the visitors another try, and eventually the pressure was relieved courtesy of Gilbert’s boot.
Eventually Connacht were rewarded with a first try after 38 minutes, with Mack Hansen profiting from a penalty to touch, and Gilbert’s conversion closed the gap to 7-10. When outhalf Josh Ioane bagged the second try after some quick ball from Ben Murphy, Connacht enjoyed a deserved 12-10 lead.
It got even better when Sam Gilbert added a penalty to stretch the lead, but a yellow card for captain Paul Boyle gave the Sharks the opportunity to take charge, and they did it well, stifling Connacht from possession. By the 57th minute replacement prop Sazi Sandi bulldozed over the line, with Matthee converting, and with all the momentum, the South African side added two more tries through replacement hooker Vernon Paulo and Ezekiel Ngobeni for a comfortable victory in the end.
Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster says Connacht need to become more accurate to have any chance against physicality-driven teams in the URC.
“We need to be better at playing against power-based teams. In order to be good at it, we need to be eight or nine out of 10 in terms of accuracy, and we were probably down about to a six or seven against the Stormers,” Lancaster says.
Despite building momentum with two first-half tries, Connacht then “fed” the Stormers with mistakes, he says.
“We came in at half-time with momentum. I thought we didn't play great in the first 20 minutes, and we made a few errors, which obviously led to pressure and led to their points. But we came back, played well to go 10 up, and then we lost it really in the second half.
And although early days in the new URC season, Lancaster says Connacht’s error count needs to improve in order to win against the teams that play a set-piece orientated game.
“We we fed the Stormers’ machine, like a knock-on that leads to a scrum, which leads to a penalty, which lead to more - and we just did that to many times and then you can't absorb that amount of pressure. I thought we probably deserved a point, not a win necessarily, but then it was a real sick note at the end to concede those tries.”
“We’re just disappointed that we didn't we didn't get the job done when at half-time we felt we had momentum.”
Now looking ahead to hosting Benetton, who drew with Dragons 19-19 in Italy, Lancaster will be making changes to his starting XV.
“It is frustrating, but with Cian [Prendergast], Ciaran [Frawley], Billy Bowen and Sam Illo, we've got some good boys to come back next week who'll bring good energy to the team. So, we're just disappointed we didn't we didn't get the job done when at half-time we felt we had momentum.”
Great accuracy essential
Connacht’s accuracy needs to improve to have any chance against physicality-driven teams in the URC.
Despite having claimed a top eight spot last season to qualify for Champions Cup rugby, head coach Stuart Lancaster says “improved accuracy” is the answer after falling to the DHL Stormers by 15-29 in the opening round at Dexcom Stadium.
“We need to be better at playing against power-based teams. In order to be good at it, we need to be eight or nine out of 10 in terms of accuracy, and we were probably down about to a six or seven against the Stormers,” Lancaster says.
Despite building momentum with two first-half tries from Mack Hansen and Josh Ioane, and heading into the second half ahead 12-10, Connacht then “fed” the Stormers with mistakes.
“We came in at half-time with momentum. I thought we didn't play great in the first 20 minutes, and we made a few errors, which obviously led to pressure and led to their points. But we came back, played well to go 10 up, and then we lost it really in the second half.
And although early days in the new URC season, Lancaster says Connacht’s error count needs to improve in order to win against the teams that play a set-piece orientated game.
“We fed the Stormers’ machine, like a knock-on that leads to a scrum, which leads to a penalty, which lead to more - and we just did that to many times and then you can't absorb that amount of pressure. I thought we probably deserved a point, not a win necessarily, but then it was a real sick note at the end to concede those tries.”
“We’re just disappointed that we didn't we didn't get the job done when at half-time we felt we had momentum.”
Now looking ahead to hosting Benetton, who drew with Dragons 19-19 in Italy, Lancaster will be making changes to his starting XV.
“It is frustrating, but with Cian [Prendergast], Ciaran [Frawley], Billy Bowen and Sam Illo, we've got some good boys to come back next week who'll bring good energy to the team. So, we're just disappointed we didn't we didn't get the job done when at half-time we felt we had momentum.”
